


A Hero’s Death.

by Beatles_and_Bellarke



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Gen, friendship fluff, i was inspired to write this after reading Alexander rose’s book, not accurate by any means
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-28 06:52:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18204983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beatles_and_Bellarke/pseuds/Beatles_and_Bellarke
Summary: Anna Strong receives news of a friend’s death. She cannot believe it but she knows it to be true.





	A Hero’s Death.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Nathan Hale sm and his time in Turn was so short despite what a huge role he played in the establishment of the Culper Ring. So here it is.

The news hit Anna Strong with the force of a tidal wave. Ben Tallmadge clearly didn’t want to deliver it but he had to. After all, Anna’s family took Nathan under their care when he lost his parents as a boy so it was only right.

 

“Anna, Nathan is dead.” She stared at him, unblinking. 

 

“How did he die?” She challenged him with her gaze. 

 

“I’m not the right person to fill you in.” Ben began but wavered under her cold eyes. Her grief for her childhood friend was evident on every ounce of her features. 

 

_ “How, Ben?” _

 

“Casualty Of War.” It sounded rehearsed. Not quite true. But she saw the pain in Ben’s face and knew better than to pry for more. 

 

“Who else knows the truth?” 

 

“Washington and his chiefs.” Ben told her, but put a hand on her arm as she headed for the door. 

 

“You can’t just barge in on them and demand information.” 

 

“I have every right. Nathan wasn’t just important to you. He was important to all of us. My family especially. I need to be able to tell them a believable  version of the truth.” 

 

“His mission was a secret. He was a spy, Anna.” Ben’s harsh whisper cut her to her core. 

 

“Small, sweet, Nathan? Our Nathan? A spy?” She didn’t believe it. She couldn’t. And yet it all made sense. His school master cover, disappearing one day without a trace. It came to her in perfect clarity. 

 

“And you knew about this?” She jabbed a finger at him. “Does Enoch know?” 

 

“No. No one does. I shouldn’t even be telling you this.” Ben admitted, somewhat begrudgingly. “But you’re right, the Strongs deserve a version of the truth. Your family did so much for him and his brother. And I know...I know he was grateful for it all.” 

 

Ben’s smile was sad. It made Anna’s chest ache. She squeezed his hand, reassuringly. 

 

“What do you want me to tell my father?” She found her voice although it broke on the last word. 

 

“Tell him Nathan died a soldier’s death. He was heroic to the end.” A single tear traced a path down his cheek, mirroring her own grief. 

 

“We’ll find a way to carry on.” She told him, hugging him tightly. 

 

“For Nathan.” Ben nodded. 


End file.
